Henry Eriksson

Henry Eriksson ( Knut Henry Eriksson, born January 23, 1920 in Krylbo, today the city of Avesta; † January 8, 2000 in Gävle) was a Swedish middle distance runner and Olympic champion.

Throughout his athletic career, his biggest opponent was his countryman Lennart beach. Eriksson had his first international appearance at the European Athletics Championships 1946 in Oslo, where he finished the 1,500 - meter race in second behind beach. On July 15, 1947 at the Swedish National Championships in Malmo Eriksson and beach had a very close race over 1500 meters, which won beach with setting the world record of 3:43,0 minutes. Eriksson was second with a time of 3:44,4 minutes, which was his personal best over this distance at the same time.

At the 1948 Olympic Games in London, the three Swedes Eriksson, beach and Gösta Bergkvist went as clear favorites at the start. However, they did not have the best conditions. The race started in heavy rain and a slippery track. After one kilometer Eriksson and beach attracted to the pace and broke away from the rest of the field. When turning on the finish line beach trying to get past Eriksson, but did not make it. Eriksson finished the race with a lead of 0.6 seconds in a time of 3:49,8 minutes and got the gold medal. Silver went to the beach, and bronze was won by Dutchman Willem Slijkhuis.

Eriksson was one of three Entzünder the Olympic flame at the Olympic Equestrian Games in 1956 in Stockholm.